Discussion of Dove Video and Visual Rhetoric
From WRIT-2510 Spring 2007 Wiki
As you watch the Dove video, I want you to pay careful attention to what you're seeing. Although it's a quick clip, a lot happens in a short while. What is the actual "plot" of the clip. If you had to describe it as story what would you say had happened?
What are the first things you notice about how the woman appears? What happens to her? What are the kinds of things that are done to her? How does the computer contribute to the "re-making" of her image?
What is argument of the clip?
How does the first image of the woman compare to the final image that is on the billboard?
Why do you think they made this video? Who is the intended audience? How do you know?
I'm not requiring you to post a response, though I'd welcome your feedback here. I hope these questions help to get the thinking juices flowing!
Contents |
[edit] Eric Wyler's Response
It seems that the primary plot of this clip is that a woman needs to go from average to beautiful for a billboard ad. The woman initially appears to be an average woman, certainly not ugly by any means, but not stunningly beautiful either. She has some skin blemishes, her face isn't perfectly symmetrical; no different from the rest of us. Through the help of what appears to be numerous make-up artists, hair stylists, and other beauty specialists, she rapidly becomes blemish-free with voluminous, flowing hair. Following this, computer software is used to further edit her image and make her the 'ideal' image of beauty (at least in the artist's perspective). Her neck is thinned, eyes enlarged, face brightened, and her head is even pulled upwards, enlongating her neck (and thus further emphasizing how thin it is).
The argument being presented here is that the beauty that is seen in today's media is not natural. People simply don't look like they do in the ads. The intended audience is probably young girls, considering the mention of the Dove Real Beauty Workshop for Girls at the end. This video helps to reveal how much editing and touch-up occurs before a finished photo is set out for all to see.
[edit] Keve Zoltani's Response to Eric Wyler
I agree with many things Eric has said, but as we discussed in class, the audience seems to be men and women interested in looking good and those interested in the fashion industry. An important point I took away from this video is that, yes everything is not as it seems, and the modeling/fashion industry creates an unrealistic image for people to achieve. Though what bothers me is so many people are anorexic and try to achieve image. People need to realize that God made you the way you are and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Also technology has come a far way for us to present people as such "beautiful" being, for digitally editing pictures has not always existed.
[edit] David Crolius's Response
My understanding of this video is that what we are shown is a photo shoot for a billboard ad. We see the process of preparing the model for photos and her image to be on a billboard. When the movie starts we see a woman who is semi-attractive, but not a head turner, led into what I assume is a studio. A team of hair stylists and make-up artists then descends on her with the apparent purpose of making her look much more attractive. When they are done and the photos are taken a computer is used to further enhance the model’s image. The apparent goal of the computer enhancement is to make the model appear to be an example of the “ideal” attractive woman. The difference between the first image we see of the model and the finished product is amazing. They don’t even look like the same person! The argument of the clip seems to be that the people we see in ads are not anything near an accurate representation of the original model that they have been “improved upon”. The intended audience for this clip seems to be teenage girls. We know this because of the text following the clip promoting the Dove Real Beauty Workshop for Girls. I think that the reason the clip was made is to show girls that the models that they aspire to be are nowhere near as perfect as they seem in those ads.
[edit] Chris Jaeger's Response
Plot? Not so much a plot so much as a simple chain of events, a woman attends a photoshoot for a billboard. It shows a vast transformation, from a starting product that isn't that bad visually but not appealing enough (apparently), to a flashy, extravagantly 'beautiful' result on a billboard. The process is cut in two points, first done manually before the photoshoot, then once the picture is taken we proceed to digital editting of the photo. The argument is that the images we see in billboard ads and other pictures, from magazines to commercials, are often faked in essence, editted to maintain a 'standard' for beauty in this day and age. And ergo, can it really be seen as real? The audience, of course, is identified right at the end, a shoutout to young women to attend a 'Dove Real Beauty Workshop'. It's an irony, in a sense, the argument. Because outside of the photo-editting, the pictures taken are no less real than the starting product. Modification of visual appearance has always been done, and is often a constant, daily routine of some people. People always look different in public, is the true message of the video. Media simply stretches this even further, so to that point it appears that the goal of the video, and perhaps the Workshop, is to help young girls recognize their own aesthetic that they can achieve without outside help, that that is what should be sought, not to seek that which is observed.
[edit] Robert Augelli's Response
I believe that while I praise Dove for bringing to light how much touch up work is done to beautify women (or people in general), I still believe that Dove's campaign suffers just like other campaigns. Quickly looking at Dove's site strengthens my case. On it, you can see the same type of images of beautiful women used to SELL their product. Dove is no better than any other company out there. Sure they have a "Campaign for Beauty," but honestly to me it feels like the cigarette companies "Campaign to not smoke." It is very easy these days to promote one view point of how conscious they are and how eye opening they are, but when push comes to shove, Dove is out to make money. Would a company who apparently really cares about the "true beauty" of people really be trying to sell anti-aging cream? Why are all of the images on the site of women smiling and acting happy? I will even give Dove the benefit of the doubt and say that they have not touched up the images on their site, but using real, true, beautiful people to portray their products is just as bad as using touched up, fake, beautiful people. Because honestly, if a little boy or girl is having self confidence problems, they will not care that the pretty person they wish to be is touched up or not. They will care that they do not look like the person they strive to be. So while Dove is promoting this "fantastic cause," I remain skeptical about why a soap company who portrays images of beautiful people, touched up or not, has any stake in such a campaign.
